Yunchan Lim’s performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations takes us through the cycle of life
Yunchan Lim performs Hanurij Lee’s …Round and velvety-smooth blend… and Bach’s Goldberg Variations in his Celebrity Series of Boston debut
Photo courtesy of Robert Torres
Hanurij Lee’s …Round and velvety-smooth blend…, Bach’s Goldberg Variations
Celebrity Series of Boston
Yunchan Lim
Piano Recital
Boston Symphony Hall
Oct. 22, 2025
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, renowned pianist Yunchan Lim performed the Goldberg Variations at Boston’s Symphony Hall. He took the world by storm in summer 2022, when, at age 18, he became the youngest contestant in history to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the world. This appearance was his first return to Symphony Hall stage since his iconic Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 performance in March 2024.
He began the recital with …Round and velvety-smooth blend…, a commissioned piece by Hanurij Lee, an 18-year-old composer from Korea. It started with an eerie yet gentle theme that primarily occupied the highest registers of the piano. Then, the notes of Élégie twinkled softly and mysteriously, coalescing into an exotic, agitated chase in Rudepoema that traversed through all registers of the piano until it overflowed in a burst of drama. The original theme returned, haunting yet sweet with a hint of nostalgia; the piece ended as quickly and quietly as it began, and the audience held their breath.
Interestingly enough, this sub-five minute-prelude to the Goldberg Variations took the audience through a miniature life journey, the same way the Goldberg Variations does: the work starts with a serene Aria, then builds complexity and drama throughout the variations, and ultimately ends with an Aria de Capo completely transformed by the kaleidoscopic experience of 30 variations.
Lim opened the Goldberg Variations with the famous Aria, playing each note with depth yet lightness, a recurring theme throughout his performance. His high notes were sung serenely, and the bass line provided gentle support. Unlike many other renditions, Lim was generous with his pedal and his use of timing, pulling back before anticipated moments and then making them shimmer earnestly, imbuing a hint of romanticism into one of Bach’s most intellectual works.
At times, the pedal turned the lower registers into a slightly incomprehensible blur, exacerbated by echoes through Symphony Hall that made the music slightly chaotic. Yet the lyricism and color brought a special human sincerity into the otherwise technical music. When the Aria ended, Variation 1 took off in a grand contrast. Lim was not afraid to bring a bright, soulful liveliness to the melody and a rhythmic tenacity to the bass line. All of his melody lines carried depth, reaching the bottom of the keys while remaining light and sharp. Those who have studied Bach know how difficult it is to comprehend and play the polyphony, yet Lim slid through the voices and registers naturally.
Variation 5 is characterized by its lightness and speed, and each of Lim’s notes was like a pebble falling into a clear lake with a floating and precise quality. Even in the light, high variations in Variation 7, Lim achieved a great depth of sound, creating an elegant yet youthful tone. In Variation 8, the bass lines were brought out refreshingly, resulting in a rushing, grounding energy. Throughout the performance, I found myself wishing that he would bring out more of the lower-register voices for a higher variety of sound. The best sections in Lim’s rendition were Bach’s tender, lyrical variations, in particular Variations 13 and 14. He masterfully created tension using both time and volume throughout the long sweeping phrases, from effortlessly weaving ornaments and different voices together to melodies that sang plainly and pleadingly.
The Goldberg Variations carry us through many walks of life, from youthful confidence to somber periods of reflection. At Variation 15, Lim’s bright notes embodied a dark overtone as the music switched from G major to G minor. His stronger adherence to rhythm, with more stillness and long presses of the keys, as well as the variation’s crawling, restricted range created an anguished sound at the midpoint of the piece. The same emotional effect returned in Variation 25 — a slow, reflective and philosophical movement in which Lim’s rendition resembled exhausted, heartbreaking grief.
As if in recovery, the final few variations were grand, open and confident. Lim’s trills in Variation 28 were even and shimmering, and he roamed the entire piano, infusing the music with a grandiose energy. The quodlibet (Variation 30) humorously incorporates two well-known German folk songs, and Lim played it with strength and finality, as each note was firm, deep, and filled with energy.
Then, out of nowhere, the Aria reappeared. It was as peaceful and tender as it began, but this time carried the nostalgia of a conclusion to a great journey. The Aria was sweet and soft, but a goodbye nonetheless, evoking a strong sense of longing, sorrow, and repose. With this final flourish, Lim truly carried the audience through a lifetime of experience and emotion.
What made Lim’s performance special was the amount of attention every single note received. Not a single one lacked depth or direction, making Lim’s playing passionate, interesting, and most distinctly, sincere. Many know Bach’s music to be deeply religious, intellectual, and markedly unannotated, causing pianists such as Glenn Gould and Andras Schiff to produce contrasting interpretations. Lim played the Goldberg Variations lyrically and freely, and he was unafraid to explore all colors, dynamics, and textures of the modern piano.
Bach’s Goldberg Variations carry us through a grandiose life, and the 30 variations transform the Aria, which returns to complete the cycle. Lim’s rendition was humble, human, and remarkably earnest, much like himself. In a press conference at the end of the Cliburn, Lim said, “I made up my mind that I will live my life only for the sake of music, and I decided that I will give up everything for music.” At the end, the audience gave him a standing ovation, and he returned to give a reflective encore of Largo from Bach’s F Minor Harpsichord Concerto, a dreamy piece that beautifully concluded the recital.